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BobcatJH Donating Member (504 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 11:32 AM
Original message
"An Inconvenient Truth" and the power of one
I had the pleasure of seeing "An Inconvenient Truth" this weekend, a sobering film that, while offering its viewers ample opportunities to retreat into abject pessimism, most likely convinces them to become empowered activists and advocates for environmental change. Never have I felt more distressed about the harm we've caused on Earth. Never have I felt more motivated to do something about it.

I was reminded, however, as I watched painful example after painful example of the stubbornness of so many to see the truth, that we indeed have the power to affect change. We are the ones we've been waiting for. And waiting one moment longer for those deniers, those accomplices to environmental catastrophe, those accessories to murder to come around is a moment we could have spent changing things for the better.

Since "An Inconvenient Truth" became a part of our national consciousness, both the film and its creator, Al Gore, have been under attack. The Big Oil-backed Sterling Burnett, despite admitting he hadn't yet seen the film, still compared Gore to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels. Noted intellectual Glenn Beck said the process behind the film was "like Hitler". Tucker Carlson referred to Gore as a "'zealot,' a 'bible-thumper,' a 'wild-eyed religious nut' whose 'religion is the environment'".

In addition to such baseless, below-the-belt personal attacks on Gore, the media have given ample time to global warming deniers, those industry-backed "experts" whose only goal is to make vague a starkly clear issue. Thanks to a huge push from Big Oil, we've seen a barrage of misinformation calculated to cast doubt on global warming. Joining in, of course, has been right-wing outlets like Fox News, whose David Asman wondered whether Gore's film would put "our economy on the skids". To such denials and criticisms Gore responded, "Well, I guess in some quarters there's still a debate over whether the moon landing was staged in a movie lot in Arizona or whether the earth is flat instead of round."

And that's just it. Casting doubt on something so clear as the disastrous, growing effects of global warming has long been a right-wing goal. In the movie, for instance, Gore presents a study done on a large sample of peer-reviewed journals looking at the percentage of articles casting doubt on global warming. The study found no dissenting opinion. None. Gore then presented a similar study of news reports. Approximately half of the reports cast doubt on the issue the scientific community is unanimously behind. So, in this way, the denial lobby has already won, their chief product being doubt, not energy.

If we're going to do this, if we're going to work for a better tomorrow, we're going to do so in the face of such massive opposition. We're going to do so despite the fact that a large proportion of the population is living in complete denial. We're going to do so knowing that our opponents resort to shameful, personal attacks because they can't debate us on the merits of our arguments. We're going to do so while those in our way refuse to become a part of the solution, instead willfully remaining a part of the problem. But make no mistake, we're going to do so.

It shouldn't surprise us when we encounter fervent opposition while we fight for progressive values. When an old way of thinking is rendered obsolete by emerging realities, it's hard for some people to accept change. It's not enough for them to embrace a dying model. No, they've got to fight, tooth-and-nail, to see that we fail. In this case, the incestuous relationship between the energy lobby and the Republican Party has resulted in an ongoing campaign to paint the most important issue of our time as an affront to commerce and an extremist position only debated by radicals. But if you let yourself get caught up in the right wing's tried-and-true disinformation-mongering, it's easy to lose sight of the goal.

And this is one of the many great aspects of "An Inconvenient Truth". Sure, as we know, we'll encounter resistance when we fight for change. That's a given. Some people will never come around. Some people will remain oblivious to the fact that the world is moving on without them. Some people will fight to see that things don't get any better. But we don't fight to change every mind. We can't. Not all at once. When we do, every moment we waste on those who will never come to the light is a moment we don't spend making things better. What we can do starts with us. It starts by our becoming advocates for change at all levels. It starts by our not despairing when we run into opposition. Their protests only mean what we're doing is working.
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calmblueocean Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 11:53 AM
Response to Original message
1. The wingnuts have ruined our country. Let's not let them ruin the planet.
First it was, "The planet isn't getting warmer. The climate isn't destabilizing." You still hear them trot that out from time to time.

Now you hear, "Yes, the planet's warming, the climate is destabilizing. But it's not due to human beings. There's nothing we can do about it." As if we shouldn't even try.

Sometimes you even hear, "Maybe global warming will be a good thing." These people are crazy. They're bullies, and they're terrified of being proven wrong, bullied back by nature itself into acknowledging that they were in grave error. I agree with Al Gore -- I think there's still time left to change the course we're on. I hope more candidates start making climate change and global warming an issue. We should demand it as part of our national platform. It's as important now as fighting Bush was in 2000. More so.
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Wells Donating Member (672 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-27-06 02:42 PM
Response to Reply #1
17. Genocide
Between the 1910's and 1930's, Bush clan elders were prominent members of the American Eugenics Society, whose ideology was race cleansing. In WWII, while JFK became a naval officer fighting japanese soldiers face-to-face, George HW Bush became a bomber pilot, a form of warfare that kills indiscriminately. The Japanese bombed Honolulu naval base - the USA aerial bombed Japan's Cleveland, Japan's Miami, Denver, Albequerque, St Paul, Salt Lake City, Phoenix and dozens of Japan's Milwaukies. During Vietnam, while John Kerry followed JFK's example of military service, George Bush Jr preferred his dad's indiscriminate destruction, but was unsuccessful as 'Ace fighter pilot Big Dick'. In the 1960's George Sr was alarmist about the Population Explosion and advocated for nuclear bombardment of North Vietnam, views that indicate his concern for humanity was still aligned with Eugenics Society ideology.

So my point is, if Global Warming threatens human population and may destroy major coastal cities, do the Bush's care? On the contrary, the Bush's may go out of their way to accellerate global warming, as their ideological practice of race cleansing. After all, they have their isolated estate mansions securely established and able to weather what the unwashed masses will call Armegeddon. Ha ha ha ha hah hah hah haaah!!

Pretty funny huh? Here's another joke: Remember when President Chucklenuts was overturning furniture in the White House, jokingly looking for WMDs? He was looking for his stock portfolio. Get it? This is a joke George tells his cohorts in the smoking room, who answer with, "Oh Georgie, we do so love your clever little witticisms", and such.
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BobcatJH Donating Member (504 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 11:58 AM
Response to Original message
2. An footnote on comparisons
For more on the comparisons Gore drew between peer-reviewed journal articles and mainstream media reports on global warming, go here and here.
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Mabus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 12:11 PM
Response to Reply #2
6. Incredible
Sad but true. The "fair and balanced" approach is pushed by the RW for a purpose. It serves to obfuscate the truth.
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Uncle Joe Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 12:01 PM
Response to Original message
3. Thanks for posting BobcatJH
Their minds are already made up, do not bother them with the facts, it is a waste of energy. We are the change, we are the heroes, people like Sterling Burnett, Glenn Beck and Tucker Carlson only continue to shrink in stature as time and the elements prove us in the right.

Kicked and recommended.

:kick:
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BobcatJH Donating Member (504 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 12:03 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. Thanks!
I really appreciate it. And you're spot-on.
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liberalpress Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 12:01 PM
Response to Original message
4. I workin RW Radio everyday...
... here's the meme you can expect from the right:

Al Gore and those who think like him are nothing but evironmental wack-os! THe Earth is just going through a natural cycle. We had NOTHING AT ALL WHATSOEVER TO TO WITH GLOBAL WARMING.

(Yeah, I know it makes no sense, but the wing nuts buy it. In fact one of our hosts encouraged his liseners to go start up their SUV's and drive aimlessly around for the weekend!)

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nxylas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 04:00 PM
Response to Reply #4
13. And don't forget the new Ice Age
"They were predicting a new ice age in the 70's, they were wrong about that, they're wrong about this". Never mind that this argument is completely bogus, they continue to trot it out over and over and over again to show that scientists don't know what they're talking about. I heard one talk radio screamer say that when meteorologists can accurately predict the weather on July 4th (this was a couple of weeks back), he'll believe their predictions on what the climate will do in 100 years time. never mind that this twot apparently doesn't know the difference between weather and climate, he still thinks he knows better than the world's meteorologists. I guess in Wingnutland, if it doesn't mention the Rapture, it can't be true. Can I apologize now to my grandchildren (if I ever have any) for my generation's head-in-the-sand attitude?
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Jeffersons Ghost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 12:13 PM
Response to Original message
7. Kicked and Recommended with lots!!! here'a 4th vote! GREAT well-done OP!!
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GliderGuider Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 12:33 PM
Response to Original message
8. Who Killed the Electric Car?
A PBS interview with the director of the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?".

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgmJl579Pz0

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYaM0dOynzs
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rman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 12:40 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. oh goodie, i was planning on having a look at that one
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Joanne98 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 12:41 PM
Response to Original message
10. Global warming deniers, should be treated like Holocast deniers
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BobcatJH Donating Member (504 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 12:49 PM
Response to Reply #10
11. I agree
Or those who sat by and watched Nazism take over Germany.
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GliderGuider Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-27-06 11:47 AM
Response to Reply #10
15. Give GW 50 years and you'll have your wish
Once there has been a visible, undeniable die-off there will be little to choose between those who ignored the signs and voted for the National Socialists in the 1930s, and those who ignore the signs and vote for coal-fired power plants today.

Between oil depletion, global warming and overpopulation, homo sapiens is facing a perfect storm that may force our species through a bottleneck. Those who know and do not raise their voices are culpable.
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Serial Mom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-26-06 02:24 PM
Response to Original message
12. meanwhile, flooding out east, fires in southwest,
extreme heat on west coast all the way up to Canadian border, and drought has to be somewhere!
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Up2Late Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-27-06 05:20 AM
Response to Original message
14. I only had ONE problem with what was covered in the film, actually...
Edited on Tue Jun-27-06 05:21 AM by Up2Late
...it was what wasn't covered. He did mention the Aral Sea in passing, and showed a few pictures like this:



This BBC News article has a lot of good information and graphics: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3846843.stm>

The problem is, while he did show some good views of Lake Chad, it's pretty much a lost cause, but the Aral Sea COULD be saved if some politicians would do a little more work on the problem.

Another problem is, when you see a map of the Aral Sea, you see something like this:



The problem is THIS is what it looks like today!

<>

To see a larger version (250m pixel size, the one above is 1km pixel size) click the link below:

<http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?search=Aral+Sea>
and click on either the 500m or 250m link below the top thumbnail which is labeled: Date: 2006/164 - 06/13
09 :25 UTC
Dust storm by the Aral Sea
Satellite: Aqua

If you want to see how Kazakhstan is succeeding in restoring the Norther portion which is now called the "Little Aral Sea," click the links under the 4th thumbnail down, which is labeled: Date: 2004/266 - 09/22

09 :10 UTC
Aral Sea
Satellite: Aqua

More at My Journal or at this link: <http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2226219&mesg_id=2226309>
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Up2Late Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-27-06 12:25 PM
Response to Original message
16. kick n/t
:kick:
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